Jan 12, 2009 10:31 pm US/Eastern
Sour Housing Market Forces Unwelcome Career Change
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
South Florida's troubled housing market has led many to a career change, but for one real estate veteran it was a 180 degree change in business.
"Everything that is up there, it needs to come down from on the wall," Jose Castro told a crew packing up and cleaning out a foreclosed condominium in Hollywood.
For Castro his current duties mark an unwelcome, but unavoidable, career change. For years he told
CBS4's Jim Berry he was happy doing paper work at real estate closings.
"I was welcoming people into their homes and giving them the keys to their new place," said Castro, "Now I have to tell people 'Hey look, you are in trouble'."
As part of his job Castro is forced to evict condo owners who have fallen behind on their mortgages, taxes, or their condo fees. He says this end of the real estate game is emotionally tough.
"It's a drain on you because I have a family and many of the people I deal with are in family situations," said Castro, "so it is very hard."
Mike Netanel of El Al movers, who was hired by Castro to clean out the condo in Hollywood, is also hoping for happier times.
"I'm just like everyone else" said Netanel. "We have a new President, he has some new ideas, so we hope that it's going to get better."
Florida's immediate forecast, however, looks gloomy with more people projected to lose their jobs and their homes. But Castro believes the state will rebound thanks to Mother Nature.
"But still the weather, I lived in Washington. It can't match the climate here."
Many economists feel it will take help from Washington and relief from Tallahassee before Castro can return to putting people in homes, instead of kicking them out.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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